CBD for Sciatica -Is It Helpful?

 Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, is a chemical compound derived from hemp and cannabis plants. The research on this substance's effect on the body is still ongoing. Some show that CBD can relieve pain,reduce inflammation, relax, and alleviate anxiety and depression. There are many CBD products in the market because companies have dived into the product. Therefore, not all products are the same; thus, the user must ensure they settle for the best product from the shelves. Common forms of CBD include edibles, topicals, oil, tinctures, capsules, and tablets. This article discusses CBD and how helpful it is for sciatica patients.

CBD, What Is It?

It is hard to talk about CBD without mentioning THC since they are the primary components derived from cannabis. According to Watt& Karl(2017),THC is popular due to its psychoactive effect on the user. Although THC can be derived from hemp and marijuana. Some states approve hemp CBD. It is encouraged due to the less amount of resin; resins contain THC.

 Unlike THC, CBD does not cause high feelings. It instead works for the better health of the user. This is because the compound has anti-inflammatory properties and pain relief ability, and thus can be used to relieve sciatic symptoms. The research suggests that CBD can generally ease pain, but this does not indicate there it is the best product than the other. Therefore, for better results, ensure you are using a high-quality product.

 What Studies Say

 Sciatica is a result of injury or damage to the sciatic nerve. The nerve is the longest in the human body; it runs from the lower back to the toes. Sciatic nerve pain can result from sliding the herniated disc and resting on the nerve, causing severe pain. It is also called bone spurs. Sciatic is characterized by severe pain and inflammation.Linher-Melville et al. (2020)proved thatCBD is used for pain relief and as an anti-inflammatory making it reliable for treating sciatic nerve pain.

Studies involved people experiencing various kinds of pain, including cancer-relatedpain,neuropathic pain, and fibromyalgia. The results indicated significantly reduced pain in the patients with mild side effects. Although it is not directly researched for sciatica, the study above is promising.

How To Choose The Best CBD Product

The food and drug administration(FDA) does not guarantee the consumer safety and quality of CBD products from different store shelves due to the tremendous growth of the sector and the companies making them. According to Mazzettiet al.(2020), the market is full of poor-quality products. Tests conducted onseveral developments in the online market showed many are subjected to mislabelling. The compounds and amounts indicated on the label differed from the product's exact amount. Consumers are now responsible for their safety by ensuring they get a high-quality productfor the best results. The following is what to look for;

Ingredients

Check the label and be sure of all the compounds in the product; ensure it has CBD. For example, ifit indicates it has hemp seeds or hemp seed oil, be sure the product does not have cannabidiol in it. CBD is present in the hemp plant's stalk, flowers, leaves, and stems but not in the seeds.

The Test Results

Get a product from the store which has had the third-party test. The test is reliable since it indicates all the components in the development, including heavy chemicals like pesticides. Read the certificate of analysis (COA) from the company’s website. COA also contains the information on the label of the product. Ensure they match. A manufacturer unwilling to share the COA is a red flag, and their products are not worth the standard.

CBD Source And Type

Organic, US-grown hemp is encouraged because the plant is grown under agricultural regulations. The amount of THC in the productis less than 0.3%, approved as non-intoxicating to the user and thus safe for consumption. The type of CBD in the product varies, and your choiceis personal.

• Full spectrum CBD. It is also called whole plant CBD. It contains all plant components, including CBD,and less than 0.3% THC.
• Broad spectrum CBD. This has all compounds of the plant except THC.
• CBD isolate; is also known as pure isolated CBD because it has no other cannabinoid.

Broad spectrum and CBD isolates are best for those who avoid THC. Full-spectrumisfavorable for people who don’t mind having THC traces. Also, it is advantageous due to the entourage effect.

The Type Of The Product

There aredifferent types of CBD products in the market delivered in variousmethods. For example, CBD topicals are good for pain relief on your skin because they are applied to the affected area.

CBD oil, capsules, or gummies can be the best choice if the pain is all over the body because it will be hard to apply a topical product in a wider area. CBD administration modes have different bioavailability; thus, some will kick in faster, unlike others.

How To Use CBD For Sciatica

Topicals CBD product is hard to measure thedosage of products you need for the skin. Therefore, apply a reasonable amount.If there is no change felt after some time, add more.

For CBD gummies, start low and gradually increase the compound to your satisfaction; 10 -20 milligrams daily are enough.

CBD oil, tinctures, and pills are also reliable for sciatica. However, despite the way of intake, the user should start slowly. CBD overdosemay result in skin irritation (topically) or drowsiness (orally), as suggested by Iffland&Brothermen(2017).

Bottom Line

The sciatic nerve is the longest in the body. It is among the common nerve pain experienced by athletes because they are always engaged in exercise. Many use opioids for pain, but they tend to be addictive. CBD is a natural compound mainly known for its pain relief and inflammation property; therefore, it can be used for sciatica. For the beginner, try all forms of CBD to choose the best. Whichever the mode of CBDintake,consider starting low and slow and consult a healthcare professionalsince CBDinteracts with other medications.

 References

Iffland, K., & Grotenhermen, F. (2017). An update on safety and side effects of cannabidiol: a review of clinical data and relevant animal studies. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 2(1), 139-154.

Linher-Melville, K., Zhu, Y. F., Sidhu, J., Parzei, N., Shahid, A., Seesankar, G., ... & Singh, G. (2020). Evaluation of the preclinical analgesic efficacy of naturally derived, orally administered oil forms of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and their 1: 1 combination. PLoS One, 15(6), e0234176.

Mazzetti, C., Ferri, E., Pozzi, M., & Labra, M. (2020). Quantification of the content of cannabidiol in commercially available e-liquids and studies on their thermal and photo-stability. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1-6.

Watt, G., & Karl, T. (2017). In vivo evidence for therapeutic properties of cannabidiol (CBD) for Alzheimer's disease. Frontiers in pharmacology, 8, 20.